Saint Patrick's Athletic slip up as Cork City snatch a late draw

Saint Patrick's Athletic blew a massive chance to close the gap on Shamrock Rovers to two points, with Ruairí Keating grabbing a last-minute equaliser to stun the home crowd.

A game that will not remain long in the memory seemed for a long time to enforce the view that Saint Patrick's Athletic might just be the biggest threat to Shamrock Rovers this season. They will have nightmares about this.

In 12 matches since Jon Daly replaced Tim Clancy, Saints have picked up 26 points, never failing to score – but clearly that figure should be 28.

Jake Mulraney's stunner looked to have decided a poor game seven minutes shy of the interval but Keating embodied City's resolve and snatched an opportunistic equaliser long into injury time.

City created next to nothing but they kept plugging away and, though the sides around them are picking up points regularly, they are giving themselves a real chance of surviving the drop.

A late Derry winner rubbed salt in Saints' wound and this was a dramatic night at the top of the table.

Basking in the evening sun, the lively crowd expected a cosy Saints win, yet Cork began with some intent.

Keating and ex-Saint Tunde Owolabi were causing excess sweat among the hosts' rearguard early, as City illustrated they were not here to park the bus.

Liam Buckley patrolled the visiting dugout, perhaps unusual for a long-time Pat's legend.

City are in a battle and, in front of Buckley, Mark Doyle raided, Barry Coffey heading his cross out for a corner.

Within 17 minutes, referee David Dunne had given three yellow cards, arguably all soft.

Pat's played 4-3-3 and were allowed little time on the ball generally. However, they managed their best move of the match just after the midway point of the first half and it